Achtung Spitfire!, Airfix 1/48 Spitfire

Here's my contribution to the BOB GB. The real deal Spitfire...probably from a squadron at the tail end of the battle.

I had quite a pick from my stash but settled on the Airfix which was one of the oldest I had. Also it was a true 'Real Man' kit with all the challenges a modeler would want.



Obviously the first thing for a 'Real Man' kit to look recent is engraving the panel lines...now I didn't have pictures of it nor do I have any on the cockpit build. So...



...presto it is assembled.



Lots of filling, sanding and finally masking. At this point I had sprayed the band near the tail and masked it off. I forgot to add the clear part in the center of the belly but will use Kristal Kleer for it.



First pass of the pre-shading.



Underneath as well...notice that I did not scribe the panels here.





Here I sprayed a layer of primer over the sanded areas to check for blemishes. You can see I did this while masking the stripes for my Mustang.



Then a light overspray of primer to help with the grip of the next layer of paint.



Prior to painting the base brown I had painted the yellow edging that most British fighters have at their leading edges. I still don't know why it was for.



Masked and sprayed and left to cure. Enamels take ages to cure. They're sticky at this stage so no handling if possible. Prop it on a jig or box shown here.



The tail end with all that masking that will be thrown away...such waste that's why I don't like masking.

Any way that's all until the paint cures. Not as fast as Eng Hui.

Cheers,
Richard

Yaa!! Thats the way Mr Real Man Rocco

Dont worry about raised panel line...Just build

Thanks Landy,

Already started on the green masking and sprayed last night. Took some photos while curing but not uploaded yet. Her curves are starting to show...nice and sleek.

Cheers and Tally-Ho,
Richard

Schnell! Schnell! looking good, I don't bother rescribing anymore also,
it's just too much torture.

Using Humbrols chief?

Yah.. Real man build Airfix..you can also build the shake and bake Tamiya kit if you wanted the recess line, but more fun watch u build the old skool kit lah..

"Jolly Good Show Rocco Olde Chap !!!" so many Spits so many choices to built...Humbrol paint is the way to go ~ dulu, kini dan selamanya...

Eng Hui, thanks I know what you mean, but the end result always has a better chance of looking good with the wash.

Sham, yes a mixture of Humbrol and Revell enamels. I have to thin it down a lot and spray at as low a pressure to minimise the build up of powder in the corners. Other than that it's good. Don't like the curing time and accidental finger prints so a jig is necessary.

Thomas, wah, you like to see me suffer wei. Wait lar you see the masking like major injury with bandage all over.

Kay, thanks, yes if you're used to Humbrol then ok...good for armour but if I had the colours in Gunze, I'd go for that. Much easier and dries faster.

Pictures up next.

Cheers,
Richard

Rocco,

what thinner u use for Humbrol and Revell enamels ah?

Thomas,

I use commercial thinner. The Humbrol thinner gives me a headache everytime I use it although it sprays smoothly.

Promised the pictures...



The wrapped up patient.





Have to clean up some blu-tac marks



Patient out of hospital without bandages.



The green is kinda bright now but will be toned down with the wash.

Cheers,
Richard

Rich.
Good build up.
Using humbrol enamels on airfix kits is really nostalgic. Handbrush for maximum effect if you dare!

loved the camo-coverup step.. sure make camo painting a lot easier... but i always failed to get it enlarged/shrink to a correct size... any secret?

so far i'm stuck with the blue-tack-roll-up + masking tape.. very tedious..

kuman

Soo nice , the Spit is so Classic looking in this scheme.

Samiar

A tip I use for paper mask is to lay thin double sided tape.....on the pattern....then cut out the shape.........then kill most of the gum power and stick on..........you will not have any gaps...........and the spray will be good.........

HTH
Mr b

Ah Tauke Loo...haven't seen you in a bit, welcome back. Haven't hand painted a flat section larger than 1cm by 1cm so I don't think I'll succeed.

Kuman, normally I'd measure the kit wing dimensions and the instruction sheet drawings and calculate the scale difference into percentage and key that into the photostat and wallah.

Herr Eng Hui, yeah classic BOB scheme. Don't get too close or I'll ratatatat...your 109.

Good tip B, I use blu-tac to get the raise to create the soft-hard edge just like Goldielocks...not too soft, not too hard but just nice.

Cheers,
Richard